Antivirus XP 2008 nightmare-HELP!

I am apparently the latest vctim to this nightmare. I went onto another site and got instructions for how to clean out the Antivirus XP 2008. I cleared out the dll entries, the registry entries, and the files. I wiped the files with my Defender Pro File Wiper.

Everything seemed to be going good - I didn't get the pop ups anymore, I didn't see the annoying background scanning thing, and I thought I had it gone until I restarted my computer.

I have Windows XP Home Edition, and the Windows start page starts loading, but then I get an error that says certain 4 different .exe files cannot start because SHLWAPI.dll cannot be found. I think they are lsass.exe, and something else. I am at work using a normal computer, and don't remember...

The problem is that in the directions - I was told I had to delete SHLWAPI.dll, wininet.dll, and various others starting with a "rhcp" sequence - and the Trojans- zlob and something else.

Now my computer never gets to the desktop and keeps restarting itself! It is a cycle. Safe mode doesn't help because I still get the error in safe mode. I am NOT a techie - I am just an average joe looking to assess the damage. Could there have been a worm in with this thing??? And am I totally screwed???

YES. I get those all the time at work and once at home. I have found that the best software to use against those annoying xp antivirus 2008 and 2009 is Malwarebytes which can be found here http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php.

The full version which will do real time protection is $24 bucks, but the free version works great. Try it I know you won't be dissapointed.

Probably your computer does not get to the desktop because you might have deleted an application needed for it to do so. If you are able to get into safe mode, you can download the malwarebytes and install it in safe mode and update the definitions then run a full scan on your computer.

If you can not do so, then if you have another computer, you can simply take the HDD (hard drive) out of your non working comoputer and scan it with the working computer. To do this you need to have something to connect your HDD as an external hard drive.

I think you can recover your data. Like I said, if you can connect the HDD to another computer with a sata/ide to usb connector like the one I mentioned above, then the data should be recoverable. Then you can go ahead and reinstall the operating system.

I bought one of those sata/ide to usb connectors in computer store, not a brand name but does the trick. I got it for $20.00. So if there is a computer store near you you can check and see if they got a connector to do this.

[The only reason you would not be able to recover your data is if your hard drive was completely dead. (i.e. won't spin, can't be read, or fried) actually you could send it to a data recovery center, but only if you are willing to pay a couple hundred to thousand $$$ for your data.]

I believe I do have the start up disc - it is a Dell, I don't have the model info here- I am at work. But I will check it out when I go home today.
Is there any way to know if a computer truly is "fried"?

...the Windows start page starts loading, but then I get an error that says certain 4 different .exe files cannot start because SHLWAPI.dll cannot be found.

I don't believe the computer is as you say "fried". From what you are telling us it is just missing key files...which should be able to be replaced using that disk and doing a repair install of those files. Let me do some checking on the Dell site and I will get back with you with instructions you should be able to print out and take home.

No, your computer is not fried. It's not necessary to backup your files if your going to do a repair installation of windows, since your files, songs, pictures, etc. will not delete, but if things go wrong and you don't want to loose your data you need to back it up. (totally up to you)

I have never had the files delete from my computer while doing a repiar instllation of windows.

Now i have found this great guide, it was in different pieces, but I put them all into one pdf document for you to print and take home. Just follow the instructions and you should be good to go.

Now your computer will have to boot to the cd, which if it won't do it will have to be changed in the BIOS. But try it first by putting the Dell Reinstallation CD in cd drive and then shut down and reboot the computer. If you get what is showing in the first illustration on the link I gave above then follow all those instructions. If you do not get that then you will have to change the boot order in the BIOS.
Here is a "general" page with illustrations on how to do this.

On MY DELL computer the key to hit on boot up to get to the BIOS is F2.
Follow the instructions on that link to change the Boot setting on the computer. You will probably have to adapt them somewhat to meet your computer set up, but most a basically the same, they may just look slightly different.

Know you have this question; Will I lose important data with Repair. You shouldn't as long as you don't FORMAT and with this procedure here you are just repairing, installing XP on top of itself really. I cannot guarantee you won't lose something but I would try this first and see if the files can be restored.